Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 70A.djvu/142

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84 OFFICIAL ELECTION BALLOTING MATERIAL—VIA AIR MAIL SECRETARY OF STATE OF (Home State) (Capital city of Home State) (Home State)

§ 1076. Use of posBfe c a r d s; waiver of r e g i s t r a t i o n; voting by discharged persons (a) To avoid expense, duplication of effort, and loss of time, it is recommended that, when the post card request for an absentee ballot is executed by a person covered by section 1074 of this title, the State concerned accept it as— (1) an application for an absentee ballot under its absentee voting laws; (2) an application for registration under its election laws; and (3) a source of information to implement its absentee voting laws. (b) I t is further recommended that each State— (1) waive registration for each person covered by section 1074 of this title whose service prevents him from registering; and (2) provide an opportunity to vote in an election for each person who would be eligible to register and vote at that election but for the fact that he was discharged honorably or under honorable conditions from the armed forces too late to register. § 1077. Distribution of ballots, envelopes, and voting instructions (a) I n order that action may be taken as soon as possible upon each post card request for an absentee ballot, it is recommended that the secretary of state of the State concerned promptly forward the request to the proper election official. (b) I t is further recommended that, so far as its law permits, each State instruct its election officials to mail promptly to each voter applying by post card under this chapter— (1) a suitable absentee ballot: (2) a self-addressed envelope for the return of the ballot; and (3) instructions for using the ballot and envelope. § 1078. Instructions for marking ballots (a) I t is recommended that each State include in its instructions for absentee voting by the persons covered by section 1074 of this title an express instruction that the voter may mark his ballot by pencil, pen, crayon, or any other suitable method of showing his intention. If the laws of a State do not authorize such an instruction, it is recommended that they be amended to do so. (b) I t is further recommended that each State express its voting instructions in simple terms, and not merely by quoting the pertinent statutes. § 1079. Establishment of r i g h t to vote (a) I t is recommended that each State that makes no provision, either on the envelope or separately, for sending with the absentee ballot a printed form to be used by the voter to establish his right to vote, have a form of oath printed and enclosed with each absentee